Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
maps balance the tension between accuracyGoodusefulness—between truthful representationandpracticality—and we should ask howanddoes the same. Which should weknowledgein which contexts? This dichotomyprioritize,arises in the natural and humanfrequentlywhich create models of the world thatsciences,useful simplifications to help us understandaresubject phenomena. The more realistic atheor map is, the larger, more complex, andmodelas we have a variety of maps, from highresolutionJustsatellite images to hasty sketches onnapkins, and secret maps in governmenttableto maps etched into rock centuries ago,vaultsare some things we know from experience:Thereis light; there is heat; there are things thattherethis activity, reflect on the knowledge youForgained through your upbringing andhaveIn what ways is this knowledge likeeducation.map of the world?ause these “maps”, these different kindsYouknowledge, to understand and explainofgoes on around you, and to guide yourwhatand actions.decisionsfall to the ground, and others, suchdroppedair bubbles in water, that go up. Some ofasknowledge explains how the things weourhappen and why they happen. Thisexperienceof knowledge makes visible the forces suchkindgravity or power; structures such as moleculesasgender roles; and processes such as climateoror gentrification, that influence the worldchangedifferent descriptions and explanationsTheour experiences have various levels ofofpower and authority. In TOK it ispersuasiveto ask: what influences the claims weusefuland have confidence in? This chaptertrustto illuminate that question at the levelseeksthe individual knower. In the followingofwe will also see how it applies at achaptersscale, where different communities andlargerconfer legitimacy and trust in differentculturesof knowledge, often for differentformsreasons.Which aspects of the world are absent or1.in your maps? Why is thisunderexploredDo you have maps that contradict each2.If so, in which aspects? These areother?that you may have conflictingissuesabout.knowledgesDo you have any maps that are wrong?3.can you tell that they are wrong?HowUsing the map metaphor, describe what4.means to be knowledgeable. HowitI. ScopeI. Scopewe know and experience.more challenging to use, it becomes.I.1 Knowledge, or knowledges?knowledge too comes in different forms.are fluid, rigid or gaseous; things that whenFor reflectionYour collection of mapsthe case?important is it to be knowledgeable?3
I. Scopeis complicated by power andKnowledgeSome knowledge, and knowledges,authority.be more persuasive than others. Anmayquestion to consider is what influencesimportantwe trust and have confidence in a givenwhetherIs there a difference between trust andclaim.Answers to this question reveal notconfidence?what we know, but how we know it, andonlywe encounter new knowledge and differenthowshaping the world in the process.perspectives,communities and cultures across timeDifferentspace may privilege or give legitimacy toanddifferently. We are all shaped byknowledgeforces.thesemay seem abstract and intangible,Knowledgeit often has concrete origins. It is entangledbutthe instruments and tools we use towithit, or with a specific place or ecologicalproduceWhile knowledge can be a set of facts,context.and ideas, these can produce realtheoriesis important also to consider how knowledgeItrepresented externally—such as in language—isthe knowledge you acquire in the IBConsiderProgramme. Through its decisionsDiplomacurriculum, assessment and approachesaboutteaching and learning, the IB Diplomatolike all educational programmes,Programme,some knowledges compared toprivilegesLet’s consider some of the decisionsothers.in this process and their potentialmadeWhat knowledge is included and appears1.be valued in the IB Diploma Programme?to(a) How is knowledge shared and2.transferred?(b) How is this different from other waysacross time and space. We should alsotransferredwhat happens to knowledge that is notconsiderin writing, or even expressed throughrecordedas we explore in Chapter 2.language,is organized in a certain way, withKnowledgestructures and conventions. Thereinstitutions,disciplines and academic fields with robustarefor what constitutes knowledge withinstandardsFor example, a large part of this book isthem.to the areas of knowledge (AOKs),dedicatedare distinct but overlapping domains ofwhichTo what extent are these domainsknowledge.or contrived? Why do they exist separatelynaturalone another? Beyond the realm of academiafromare other arrangements of knowledge,thereas the folk knowledge passed on in culturalsuchor religious knowledge shared andgroups,through institutions and communities.transferredTOK course and this book invite yourTheabout the forms that knowledgecuriositythe processes through which it has beentakes,and disseminated, the people involvedproducedthese processes and their roles, as well as yourinshifting relationship to knowledge.ownsharing and transferring knowledgeofyou have encountered or arethatConsider the keepers and sources of3.in the IB Diploma Programme.knowledgeWhat is the role of teachers, textbooks(a)other media?andHow are teachers and books given(b)legitimacy and credibility?status,What kinds of knowledge are(c)and underrepresented asemphasizedresult of this, and what implicationsathat have?mightYour assessments are a way of4.knowledge. Given thedemonstratingobjectives and constraints ofstructure,consider the following.assessment,1material consequences in the world.which makes it possible for knowledge to beFor discussionKnowledge and the IB DiplomaProgrammeaware of?consequences.4
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maps balance the tension between accuracy
Good
usefulness—between truthful representation
and
practicality—and we should ask how
and
does the same. Which should we
knowledge
in which contexts? This dichotomy
prioritize,
arises in the natural and human
frequently
which create models of the world that
sciences,
useful simplifications to help us understand
are
subject phenomena. The more realistic a
the
or map is, the larger, more complex, and
model
as we have a variety of maps, from highresolution
Just
satellite images to hasty sketches on
napkins, and secret maps in government
table
to maps etched into rock centuries ago,
vaults
are some things we know from experience:
There
is light; there is heat; there are things that
there
this activity, reflect on the knowledge you
For
gained through your upbringing and
have
In what ways is this knowledge like
education.
map of the world?
a
use these “maps”, these different kinds
You
knowledge, to understand and explain
of
goes on around you, and to guide your
what
and actions.
decisions
fall to the ground, and others, such
dropped
air bubbles in water, that go up. Some of
as
knowledge explains how the things we
our
happen and why they happen. This
experience
of knowledge makes visible the forces such
kind
gravity or power; structures such as molecules
as
gender roles; and processes such as climate
or
or gentrification, that influence the world
change
different descriptions and explanations
The
our experiences have various levels of
of
power and authority. In TOK it is
persuasive
to ask: what influences the claims we
useful
and have confidence in? This chapter
trust
to illuminate that question at the level
seeks
the individual knower. In the following
of
we will also see how it applies at a
chapters
scale, where different communities and
larger
confer legitimacy and trust in different
cultures
of knowledge, often for different
forms
reasons.
Which aspects of the world are absent or
1.
in your maps? Why is this
underexplored
Do you have maps that contradict each
2.
If so, in which aspects? These are
other?
that you may have conflicting
issues
about.
knowledges
Do you have any maps that are wrong?
3.
can you tell that they are wrong?
How
Using the map metaphor, describe what
4.
means to be knowledgeable. How
it
I. Scope
I. Scope
we know and experience.
more challenging to use, it becomes.
I.1 Knowledge, or knowledges?
knowledge too comes in different forms.
are fluid, rigid or gaseous; things that when
For reflection
Your collection of maps
the case?
important is it to be knowledgeable?
3